“A Piece of Heaven,” that’s how the PBS documentary describes the non-motorized, multi-use Mickelson Trail running 109 miles from Deadwood to Edgemont. Dedicated in 1991 and completed in 1998, it was designed for walking, jogging, horseback riding, and regular biking in the summers and snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter. Going from around 5,000 annual users to between 65,000-70,000, the trail has exploded in popularity, being named in 2013 as one of the top 10 rails to trails in the world!
Sold commercially in 1997, e-bikes were never allowed on the Mickelson until a couple years ago when, without any public comment period, the new GF&P Secretary changed the usage of the trail and allowed Class 1 and 3 e-bikes.
Then this year, GF&P brought SB 56, a bill to allow ALL classes of e-bikes. Thankfully, it was amended in Senate Ag to only Class 1s and easily passed the Senate. GF&P refused to accept this though and asked House Ag to table it. They stated they plan to “study” the issue and come back again next year essentially with the same bill. One GF&P employee stated they have a group of “e-bikers breathing down their neck.” E-bikers do not have preference over all the other users though, the Mickelson is not a bike path, intended only for bikers.
E-bikes though have increased exponentially on the trail as rental shops have popped up everywhere renting them. Thankfully, the rental shop and tour company owners I spoke to say they are only renting Class 1s and not the faster and more dangerous Class 3s. Why? Primarily for safety on the trail.
Class 1 e-bikes are called “low-speed pedelecs” or low-speed pedal electric vehicles. The motor assists the rider pedaling until a speed of 20 mph is reached and the motor stops assisting. Class 2 e-bikes can be completely throttle-driven, with the motor reaching speeds up to 20 mph, sustained. Class 3 e-bikes are back to being pedal-assist, but the motor will assist up to 28 mph. Class 3s are called “speed pedelecs,” and are typically sold as a “an urban commuter” bike or a “zippy errand runner,” they are not typically sold for riding multi-use trails like the Mickelson.
Horseback riders go about 4 mph, walkers between 3-5 mph, regular bikers average 10 mph. Force equals mass times acceleration, and with the heavier weight of an e-bike and the faster speed, the impact of an e-bike rider on a walker is 4-5 times greater than the impact of a regular biker. People are literally dying due to collisions between walkers and e-bikes.
According to railstotrails.org, “Speed is fundamental to safety…making it the single most important factor in determining trail compatibility. Speed influences both the likelihood of crashes and the degree of harm when they happen.”
NO ONE is being stopped from riding the Mickelson if it were to be limited to Class 1s, they are simply being told they have to ride a slower e-bike than they may want to. And posting a speed limit sign does nothing to regulate someone’s speed, whereas limiting the class of e-bikes on the trail DOES (otherwise why not allow dirt bikes or mopeds and trust they obey the “speed limit”?!).
Many multi-use recreational trails limit e-bikes to Class 1. Just a couple examples are the Route of the Hiawatha in northern Idaho and the Great Northern Historical Trail in Montana.
GF&P argues they can’t enforce a ban on classes of e-bikes. Most e-bikes on the trail are rentals, and we can trust these businesses to obey the law. As for e-bikes owners, they know to check the trail before they ride to see if ANY e-bikes are allowed, and we will trust they also behave responsibly. We also have a trail patrol. They can easily see if the e-bike has a throttle (as Class 2s and 3s do) and educate the rider on what’s allowed or not allowed, then politely ask them to disengage their throttle, keep their speed down, and make sure next time they ride they are on a Class 1.
When Peter Norbeck designed the roads through the Hills, he was asked about the pigtails and switchbacks, and he replied, “It’s scenic. You’re not supposed to drive here at 60 mph, and to do the scenery justice, you should drive at no more than 20, to do it full justice you should get out and walk.” It seems GF&P has forgotten just how beautiful and special our Black Hills are and in their pursuit of ever-more crowds and ever-more money they are going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.
The Mickelson Trail truly is “a piece of Heaven” that we have been blessed with, meant as a place to slow down, spend time with family, and enjoy the blessings God has given us. But if we do not speak up, if we do not fight to maintain the intended use of the Mickelson, if we do not help conserve our natural resources for future generations, they will be gone forever.
Taffy Howard is a former State Representative from District 33 who lives in Pennington County. She is passionate about ensuring future generations are able to enjoy the blessings we have here.